Scarred Memories
by Sakyh
Summary: [AU]A memory is a fragment of the past. When Tenten tries to piece together those fragments, she finds the answers to her existance. Little does she know that Neji and her scarred memories are closely tied together. [TentenxNeji]
1. Kirei Hoshi

_**Beautiful Star  
**Tenshi no Hoshi_

**A/N: Yay! My first Naruto fic! Not to mention my first chapter story! I'll make sure it'll go through At first, I thought, 'Tenten is such a cool character, but how come she isn't a key character with a disclosed past?' So then, this is the basis of the whole story I added Neji because he seemed closest to her (with the exception of Lee.) Give me at least 10 reviews and you all recieve a cookie AND a new chapter xD Enjoy

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_"If you place a sword into its sheath, the reflecting light can be hindered, but no matter how hard you try to hide someone's heart, it will continue to shine."_

The twinkling stars above could hardly be seen with the intense city lights nearby. They were preparing for the Hanabi Festival currently taking place as a rush of villagers from all over the country flocked to gaze upon the marvelous fireworks. Beams of light shot upward like shooting stars from the city and into the sky, bursting into a thousand glowing pieces.

Neji covered his ears. "Ugh, its so noisy. How can I expect myself to train with this racket?"

He looked up to the glittering night sky. "Then again, I can't train without Tenten here. Where the hell is she?"

The Jounin was one who could not keep his patience easily. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. It has been almost two hours since they both planned a training session. Where could she possibly be?

The sound of rustling leaves echoed in the distance. The ninja swiftly turned his back to the city and stood in his offensive stance. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"EEK!" A screech rang through the empty forest. Suddenly, a young girl covered in leaves and smudged with dirt emerged from the darkness and landed with a thump on the ground. "Ah…ow ow ow that hurt…"

Neji scoffed at her dramatic entrance. "Keh, what took you?" He stepped in front of her and kneeled down to meet her face.

Tenten lifted her head and stuck her tongue out. "I got stuck in the traffic. The parade patrol didn't let me through until the whole thing was over! But honestly, that festival looks more interesting than training…," she complained as she rose to her feet.

She offered her hand to her long time companion. "C'mon, please?" She gave Neji the puppy dog look.

"Heh, no way. It's way too noisy. I don't want to go in there." He took her hand and lifted himself up. "Besides…" He paused and looked up the sky as the fireworks came to a halt.

Tenten gave him a worried look. "Wh-what is it?" She, too, turned her attention to the night sky.

Neji shook his head. "I…I can't see the stars tonight." He turned his head towards Tenten and let off a warm smile. A tiny, but warm smile formed at the corners of his lips. "At night, when I used to practice by my village, the stars would always accompany me, so I wouldn't ever feel so lonely.

Tenten felt her cheeks redden. She hadn't recalled the last time he had given her a genuine emotion of his. "W-well," she stammered, "We don't really have to go. We can just stay here and train I guess."

"You can't see the stars from here either." Neji started walking in the opposite direction of Konoha. "We don't have to train today. Let's go to the Hyuuga's hidden village. There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Tenten felt a surge of apprehension come over her body. "B-but are you sure it'll be ok? I mean, they may not –"

"Hey, its gonna be alright. Everyone in the village actually attended the festival. I can't stand public events, so let's just stay there for now." Neji lept in the air and landed on a nearby tree branch.

"Let's go."

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Both ninja's arrived at their destination and sat under the stars, leaning upon a tree nearby the lake. The moon and stars were easily visible and reflected upon the water's surface, glittering as the waves swayed back and forth.

Neji started hesitating. "Um, Tenten…" He made sure no eye contact would be necessary. Losing his cool in front of someone like her would be the last thing he needed.

"Huh? You don't sound too well. You ok?" Tenten grew more worried by the hour. He'd been hiding something since they met up outside Konoha.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine," he answered in an effort to remain calm. "I…I wanted to ask you about your past. Your origin."

He held his legs to his chest and placed his head on top. "The more I think about it, I hardly know anything about you. The same goes for you. I bet you know almost nothing about me besides the fact that we've been training with each other for who knows how many years."

Tenten signed in relief. "Is that what you've been so worked up about this whole time?" She laughed out loud as it her voice was carried in the wind. "Eh, honestly, I'm not too sure about that either."

She rose to her feet and walked to the water's edge. The waves crashed along the shore, splashing her bare feet. "I honestly don't know who I am, or where I come from." She smiled to herself. "I guess some could say it's a good thing, because then its sorta like saying I'm free. Not belonging to any village, or staying loyal to a country, is like having pure freedom. On the other hand…"

"You feel alone, don't you? Knowing that there are no one out there like you, I mean," Neji added.

Tenten turned around and smiled up at Neji. "Yeah, I guess you can say that." She stared at her reflection in the sparkling lake waters. "But…I really have been trying hard. I want to find who I am and where I come from, so that I won't have to feel that way anymore."

She tried putting up a strong expression on her face, but she felt as if she was breaking down inside. "Neji…what do you see in me?"

Neji was taken aback at her question and jerked his head up. There was a moment of silence between the two ninjas until he also rose from his spot by the tree and came over to where Tenten was standing. "You know what I see?"

He took an old and used dagger in his hands and held it up to the moon's light. "They say that if you place a dagger in its sheath," he slid the dagger back into its place, "you cannot see its brilliance in the light. But… they say that no matter how hard you try to hide one's heart, it will continue to shine."

"Right now, I see a girl who is trying to hinder the starlight shining in her heart," Neji asserted. He took her shoulders and turned her to face him, although it almost killed him to do so. "Y-you don't have to hide yourself from me. I, too, promise to be more open with you."

Tenten couldn't take it anymore. She had already started to feel her locked away tears well up in her eyes once again. "Y-yeah. Thank you. I guess I really don't have to hold back anything right?" She wiped her misty eyes and sat down to let her legs tread in the water. Their time had come.

"Well, let's see…where should I begin?"


	2. Kioku no Michi

_**Memory Lane  
**Tenshi no Hoshi_

**A/N: Sigh, I actually finished writing/editing this chapter two days after I uploaded this story. Before uploading this story, I still didn't reach my goal of 10 reviews. No cookies! Aww, but I couldn't wait to post it up xD This story is starting to sound OCish, but trust me, it won't stray. I'm sorry for making Neji sound so OCish during the prologue, but he has his reasons xD Spoilers for the story! I'm still learning much about Naruto and the characters.  
This chapter actually covers how her journey in the past began. Not the greatest, but it's a base for the rest of this fic. Please bear with it xD Enjoy!****

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_"Memories — even important ones — don't come back to us whenever we want them to. But that doesn't mean the memories are gone. "

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_This all started about three years ago, when I had turned ten. I was just as clueless about who I was and where I came from back then as I am now. All I knew was that I was to be the heir to the Kiokukagure; the hidden village lost in memories. Above that, I remembered nothing else._

_A hidden village near where I was found took me to shelter. That day, I was only able to picture the sounds I heard as they rang through my aching head. Tiny droplets plummeted towards the cold ground, creating a soothing melody. 'Shhh...shhh...' Footsteps creaked ever so softly as if not to disturb a creature in deep slumber. 'Crrreakk…thump.' Distant murmurs whispered, swirling endlessly around my dormant body. 'Who is she? This wretch absolutely cannot possibly be a part of our exclusive clan…'_

_My heartbeat wouldn't slow down as it raced against itself. My breathing accelerated, and I felt a great deal of pain in my chest. Those people…they made me feel like an outcast, as if I were dirt beneath their feet. I can still feel the rush of anger come over me._

_A cold hand reached for my own. My eyes slowly opened in vain and I continued to strain. Suddenly, I jolted up from the bed and stumbled to my feet, and then falling face first to the floor. Where was I? The noises, the atmosphere, and even the smell of the village seemed so unfamiliar._

"_Hey, stay still. You're in no condition to move." _

_I looked up from the wooden floor. A boy of my age kneeled down to meet my eye level and offered his hand to me. "C'mon, I'll help you up."_

_Glancing around, I noticed that no one stayed in the room but the two of us. I turned my attention to him once more. "Thanks," I answered suspiciously as he brought me up to my feet._

_The boy tilted his head. "You don't look like you're part of this village. What's your name?" _

_I hesitated to answer. Memories of my past still lay dormant. "I-I don't have a name. Actually, I don't remember much of my past."_

"_Seriously? No way!" He burst out in excitement. "Did someone erase your memory? Or did you suffer from amnesia before? Or maybe –"_

_I glared at him with evil eyes. He seriously started getting on my nerves. "If I don't have my memory, how do you expect me to know?" _

_He took a step back. "Ok, ok, sorry." The boy took a seat next to me on the bed. "You said you don't have a name, right?" He smiled gently. " I'd be happy to give you one."_

_I laughed out loud, coughing in-between as the sound echoed through the empty room. The feeling that emitted from his smile made me feel light as air. "Alright then, give me a nice name, ok?" I smiled up at him, happy that there was someone already willing to comfort me. _

"_Well…to me," he started, "you look very much like a panda." He smirked. "Your name should be Tenten. It sounds like a panda name."_

_My eyes widened in surprise. I hadn't expected to be named after a panda, of all animals. "Wh-what's that suppose to mean!? Is that an insult?!" I tried yelling at the top of my lungs, resulting in severe coughing. Taking a peek at my hands, crimson blood stained my already dirty hands. I clenched my hands quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed what had happened._

"_Are you ok?" He asked in concern, his deep eyes staring into mine._

_I hastily turned away. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," I lied. "So," I began to change the subject, "you know my name, but I don't know yours."_

"_You don't have to know my name. Either way, I'm not allowed to say my real name to people outside the clan." He exchanged a disappointed expression with mine. _

_I smirked. "Then that means I get to give you a name too!" I sprang up excitedly._

_His eyes were wide with shock. "Uh, I don't know about that…"_

"_I know the perfect name!" I took his hand into my own and traced my fingers along his palms, creating imaginary symbols. "Those characters stand for 'small' and 'wolf.' Xiao Lang. What do you think?" I stated proudly._

_He gaped at his hand for a few minutes, and all he could do was smile back. "Wow, you're really something else," he said as he headed towards the door._

_My heart suddenly halted for that moment in time. Xiao Lang's words had a different feel to them: as if they were mocking me, yet trying to comfort me in their own way. At that time, I wasn't so sure as to take his comments as insult, or a way of showing how he felt._

"_H-hey, where are you going?" I called, stumbling after him. "P-please don't leave me here!" My cheeks blushed slightly after realizing what I had said._

_Xiao Lang turned to my direction. "I can't babysit you forever, you know." He tried to hide his smirk. "If you don't want to be left behind, I suggest you try to keep up." darted out of the room with a swift breeze._

_Realizing his tactics, I immediately chased after him. "Hey, get back here!" _

_The day was still early, as the sun didn't even reach the horizon line yet. The only sounds that were heard came from the noisily chirping baby birds, keeping their distance from any possible threats within the shelter of tree leaves. The atmosphere gave off a suspiciously dangerous aura, which meant someone must have been watching from close by._

_I took a step forward. "H-hey, Xiao Lang? I wasn't kidding when I said I didn't want to be left alone," I called out into the vast emptiness of trees and bushes. _

_In an instant flash, a silver shuriken flew towards me, aiming at my chest. It barely hit me, tearing my sleeve in half. I gasped, trying to maintain myself before I would be caught off guard. "Who's there?" _

_All the tree branches along with their leaves ruffled in the wind; or so it seemed. There was no wind blowing around, and when I looked closely enough, the outline of a hidden ninja transported from one place to another. Either he was way too fast for me to catch up, or I was completely surrounded._

_At least ten more shuriken came flying from all directions. Caught off guard by my yelling, I attempted to shield myself with my arms and shut my eyes, knowing that the end was near._

"_NOO, WATCH OUT!" A female voice howled from within the rustling bushes. She leaped out of her hiding place like a pouncing tiger and flashed golden shuriken of her own, deflecting the mysterious attacks. _

"_Don't attack her! She was taken in after being injured outside the village."_

_Slowly, I opened my eyes to see the back of my hero. Her hair was dark like the night and shined like the stars, though it flowed down her back. I assumed her to be my age, or if not, a really, really short adult._

_She turned around and winked at me. I took it as a signal that everything would be alright. " Go back to your work before I tell my uncle about all the trouble you've caused. If this gets to the leader, you know what will happen." The young girl arrogantly stuck her tongue out at the trees._

_I was as confused as ever. To me, she sounded like a crazy old woman who couldn't tell the difference between dreams and reality. Who was she screaming at?_

"_Phew, its over," she sighed. "Hey, what were you doing out here? I saw you run after my cousin a few minutes ago. Did he tell you to follow him?"_

_I hesitantly shook my head, not knowing what to say from all the shock. "N-no…I don't think so anyway." I rolled my eyes. "I couldn't tell," I mumbled. _

_She couldn't help but let out a hearty and strong laugh loud enough for the whole village to hear. "That idiot. Don't mind him. Yeah, he can be hard to get once in a while, but you'll get used to it. From what I've heard, you're gonna be staying with us for now, right?"_

_I raised an eyebrow. "I…don't know yet…"I started to say. _

"_Aha, my apologies. I didn't introduce myself yet." She bowed her head like a noble would bow to a king and lifted her head. "I suppose you know we cannot state our names to outsiders, so just call me Belri, m'kay?" Her welcoming smile made her cheerful demeanor seem brighter._

_I let out a smile of my own. "You can just call me Tenten, then." I hadn't found out what had gotten over me, using the panda name._

_Belri placed her hand over her chin in a thinking manor. "Tenten, huh? That's an awfully strange name. Sounds like a panda name…"She said out loud._

"_Your name is pretty weird, too," I said under my breath._

_Belri chuckled slightly, just catching my words. "C'mon, I'll take you back to your room. My uncle wouldn't be too happy if he saw you running around the village."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why is that?" I got the feeling that I was reluctantly and unwillingly welcomed into this hidden village. I thank whoever let me into that village._

_She placed her hands on her waist in a cocky position. " Well," she started, "from what I heard, they're holding a private meeting between you and the head of the clan. Not that you're suspicious or anything, but they want to go over some terms with you, I guess."_

_Belri merrily skipped towards the exit in which I came out from earlier. I shook my head in doubtful amazement. How could anybody be so cheerful?_

"_Hurry, let's get going. I don't wanna find out what'll happen if they see you missing," the young ninja called out, still bouncing up and down from excitement._

_I sighed and shook my head once again. She really needed to know when to stop. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!"_

_I looked up at the sky one last time before heading in. A feeling of regret tugged the corner of my lips. I didn't even get the chance to thank Xiao Lang. He had been the first person I've seen in my after my memory loss, and the only person to stay with me when I was alone in a village where no one would even get near me. I really wanted to thank him._

"_Oh well," I thought to myself, "I'll get that chance when I see him." _

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_Hours passed like seconds in my sleep. Then again, doesn't it for all of us? By the time I woke up, however, it had already been at least midnight. The everyday activities of the hidden village drowned in the sleepless night._

_I glanced around to see nothing but a black abyss. My feet climbed out of the icy cold bed first, then the rest my body following. Feeling around for the exit, I positioned my hands in front of my face and started walking forwards. Luckily, remembering the room was empty the last time I had awoken, nothing could have possibly disrupted the stillness of the sleeping village. _

_An indent along the wood built walls lay under my fingers. "Yes," I thought to myself, "finally, the door."_

_Creeping along the ghostly hallways, I met familiar eyes stop in front of me. A blinding light shone in my face._

"_GAHH!" I took a step back, tripping over my own foot and falling flat on my bottom._

"_Hey, you ok?" The voice asked in concern as the figure kneeled before me. A hand extended out to my reach._

_Looking up past the hand, the familiar voice belonged to the boy I had met when I first opened my eyes. Xiao Lang, was it? I wondered if he kept that name._

"_Lookie here, its Tenten!" He remarked enthusiastically. "Where'd you go earlier? My cousin scolded me for losing you, but that wasn't MY fault." He tapped his foot impatiently; it's clicks echoing through the empty hallway._

"_Hmph," I snorted, "It's not my fault YOU were going to fast. I was supposed to stay in that room anyway." I took his hand as he pulled me up from the floor._

_There was an awkward moment of silence between us. I bet that if we were outside, we would have heard the footsteps of the crickets. _

_I spoke up first. "So…what are you doing here anyway?"_

"_I came to get you. My uncle wants you in the main house."_

_He started walking first; heading down the stairs without a sound._

"_H-hey, Xiao Lang," I called out, chasing after him and catching his wrist. _

_He snapped upright. I guess he wasn't expecting that. "Wh-What do you want?" He retorted._

_I was surprised myself. "Uh, I-I just wanted to ask you if your name was ok. You know, the one I gave you."_

"_Keh," he snorted, "if you kept your panda name, I guess I can go along with this one." A tiny smile formed at the corner of his lip for a split second. "Just don't tell anyone, got that?"_

_I saluted, mocking his words. "Yes sir," I whispered loudly as we headed outside the rest house._

_Xiao Lang put his finger in front of his lips, signaling silence. "Shh, we really don't want to get caught. Follow me."_

_I rolled my eyes and followed without any complaints. There was a hidden lane of dirt and gravel hidden among the trees in which we traveled through. The image of a moonlit lake and silhouettes of swans in flight can be seen from where we were standing. Flowers of all awkward shapes and vivid colors stood before us as we continued onward towards the main house. I had to say; I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Then again, it's not like I would remember if I had seen one before._

_My daydream was interrupted by a loud, jabbing whisper. "Why are you so slow? Hurry up!"_

_I stuck my tongue out at him once he faced front. That's when I tripped over my own legs; one over the other, and fell flat on my face. I rubbed my bruised face and moaned. "Oww…"_

_A familiar hand stuck out in front of me, offering assistance. "You're so clumsy. I bet I can count how many time you've done this already." His voice was steady and even a little aloof when he spoke, but his gestures always showed what he felt._

_I took his hand once again. They were gentle and soft, yet calloused and rough. It must have been from his training or something. "Thanks," I gratefully thanked him and let out a smile._

_He looked ahead. "We're almost there. TRY not to do anything that will wake up the village, will you?"_

_I raised an eyebrow. Even though he could be gentle, he still had an attitude problem in my opinion._

_Up ahead, a massive stone built house stood alone, surrounded by many of the flowers we spotted along the hidden path. I looked up. One of the lights remained on. Someone really was waiting for me._

_Xiao Lang cautiously opened the door and held it open for me. "After you," he said courteously._

_I glared at him suspiciously, but kept my mouth shut. I thought it must have been common manners for men and woman of this village._

_As I entered the stone house, a elderly man was already waiting for me inside as he sat patiently like a sitting stone. He didn't look too old, but signs of aging started to appear. He bowed down to me. "Welcome, descendant of the Kiokukagure."_

_I wasn't sure what to do, so I shot a quick glance at Xiao Lang, who was bowing next to me. I bowed down in return, not knowing what to do or say._

"_You must be wondering what you have been called for, am I correct? " He raised his head from the floor. "I'd like to ask you the same thing."_

_I choked. "I-I don't know e-either, sir." My eyes kept wandering to the floor to avoid eye contact. Beads of sweat were visible as it dripped down my neck._

_He had such a hearty and jolly laugh. I immediately pictured Santa Claus. "There's no need to be nervous. I heard everything from my niece, Belri."_

_Her name popped up in my head. She was the girl who had saved me from those invisible attackers. "Belri..."_

"_You've suffered from amnesia, and no matter what you say, I won't allow you to leave until we find out about your origins and until you are healthy enough to travel home. Kiokukagure isn't a village we are familiar of, so we advise you to stay here if you have nowhere to go." The clan leader folded his arms and sat up proudly. "We don't normally give off such hospitality, but we understand your case."_

" _Besides," he gave a meaningful look towards Xiao Lang, " I have received personal requests from my nephew and Belri." _

_Xiao Lang turned away, his cheeks already slightly pinkish._

"_With your consent, this agreement will be settled and you will be assigned a place to stay in the branch house."_

_I finally looked up at the elderly man. "Yes," I said, "I'd like to stay here for the time necessary. I really do have nowhere to go anyway."_

"_Then it's settled. You can stay in the branch house in Belri's room. If you would, nephew," Xiao Lang's uncle insisted._

_Xiao Lang stood up and started towards the door, but I wasn't ready to leave. Not yet._

"_Ah, wait, please," I begged, "it's about Belri. Is…Belri her real name? You use her name openly. I was told that it's forbidden to say one's name to a foreigner."_

_The old man heaved a heavy Santa Claus laugh once again. "Belri isn't part of our clan. She was adopted by my brother, who was found five years ago in the same circumstances you are in now." His stern face showed a warm smile. "Now, go."_

_Together, Xiao Lang and I headed out the main house doors on a journey that would be engraved in my memories until the end of time._

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"And that's how our journey started."

Tenten halted her story and snuck a peek at Neji, who looked like he had fallen half asleep from the story.

"H-hey," she asked with a worried voice, "was it really that boring?"

"Yes, so much it wanted me to sleep right here," he replied calmly.

"Hmph, its hard to tell what you're thinking of sometimes," she retorted. "But I really don't have to tell anymore if you don't want me to."

Neji disregarded her comment and stood on his feet as he made his way towards the hidden village.

"Grr, what are you doing? Wait up!" Tenten called after him, already a few feet behind. She felt a tug at her left leg as her right leg got twisted along with the other. Tenten fell foward and landed face first on the grass. "Oww…"

Neji swiftly turned around to see Tenten rubbing her bruised face on the ground. He hid a smirk with his right hand. Tenten looked up to see his hand presenting assistance. "You're really clumsy when it comes down to it," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Tenten smiled, knowing what he had meant. She took his hand as he helped her up. "Heh, I'm sorry for having two left feet," she apologized as they continued walking towards the hidden village.

Neji looked over his shoulder to see if she was still following. "Did you know," he reached a vast spread of trees and bushes, then separating the limbs and branches, "there's a secret pathway here, like the one you mentioned before."

They followed one another into the moonlit glazed flower path. The lake could be seen from the dirt and gravel road as the silhouette of swans flew past the moon. The glittering water reflected the endless sky and it's hope filled light, just like Tenten's story.

Tenten stopped in her tracks as Neji turned to see what she was doing. He didn't bother asking. They've been a team for almost three years now. Both of them knew what their concerns for each other were.

"Don't worry about me," the female ninja started to say as she smiled to herself.

"I'm just taking a stroll down memory lane."

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**Ending Note: Ah, I'm glad the ending turned out the way it did! Xiao Lang's name is chinese, and indeed it means "little wolf." I wanted to make a twist to the names. Belri's name is unique, actually, it's Al Bhed( made up language from FFX) for Pichu (does anyone remember Pokemon?) It had a nice ring to it. **

**I'd like to include another note; if anyone would be interested in being my beta reader or even doing a partnership with me, just PM me. I've always wanted to try it out!**

**I wanted to start including previews, so everyone has something to look foward to. They're always subject to change, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum. **

_**Tsubasa  
**Tenshi no Hoshi_

_The tiny sparrow perched on her shoulder, as it did the previous day. Tenten stroked it's head and held her palm full of seeds up to it's beak. It pecked hastily at her open palm, and flew away in an instant. It floated high into the sky with the others. Tenten sadly gazed at the flying sparrows. "Why couldn't I have been born with wings?_

_"It's because you don't need wings to fly."_

_Xiao Lang leaned against the garden's entrance gate; his arms crossed along his chest. "If you really want to fly..." _

_He leapt in the air and gently landed on top of the spurting fountain water placed in the center of the garden. _

_Tenten stared in awe. "H-How-"_

_"If you really want to fly... you need to find your reasons, and turn them into wings."_


	3. Tsubasa

_**Wings **  
Tenshi no Hoshi_

**A/N: This update wasn't as quick, mainly because I was spending time watching the anime for personality hints. I really hope this chapter will portray them alittle better! Although they are younger, they're personalities are still slightly different. With that said, I give you the second chapter! Enjoy!**

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"_A leaf is a feather that no longer flies, and a feather is a leaf that descended from the sky."

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_The journey had officially begun._

_Life with another clan seemed awkward to Tenten, who felt as if she had just awoken form a ten-year coma. She held no memory of her past, besides the place of her orgin. It was now up to her to find the remaining fragments of her past._

_She felt as if she should have done something more about it, instead of waiting in a village that isolated Tenten into her own little world. What more could she have done? As they say: One who knows nothing, can understand nothing._

_Everyday hardly seemed like an adventure. It was the same old routine every morning, but Tenten couldn't say the same during the afternoons._

_It had been almost 3 months now since her unanticipated arrival. Tenten soon became thankful for their hospitality, providing her with shelter and food. Of course, all of this didn't come free. There had to be a price for it all._

_A mushy pillow smacked sleeping Tenten in the face. Xiao Lang, who was in charge of the wake up calls, was never merciful when taking it out on Tenten._

_"Hey, Tenten, enough snoozing! You have a job, you know," he whispered noisily in her ear._

_Tenten, who had been fed up with the ranting, unexpectedly and swiftly took her own pillow and clobbered Xiao Lang, the perfect karma. "GAH STOP HITTING ME EVERY MORNING!"_

_Xiao Lang plugged his ears with his fingers. "Hmph, you don't have to be so loud. How do you have so much energy?" He walked out of her room. "Meet me downstairs in 5 minute, or else I'll leave for the garden without you."_

_Tenten stomped her foot on the wooden floor. "Grr, he gets on my nerves," she growled._

_"Yo, other people are trying to get more sleep here," Belri mumbled under the covers. "How are you guys so loud?"_

_Tenten completely ignored Belri and dashed downstairs once she finished changing. "I'm going now, Belri onee-chan," she called out from downstairs._

_She burst out the door and dashed toward the garden as she did every morning. From where she was standing, she could already spot Xiao Lang pacing back and forth, waiting for her arrival. How did he get there so quickly?_

_"Xiao Lang, I'm here," she stated, "we can start the gardening now."_

_"Hnn."_

_The Silent Garden was filled with such beauty and hard work, that it could be called the eighth world wonder. Flowers of all shapes and sizes, colors and shades, could be pointed out as they bathed in the sunlight. A sparkling fountain spurted out mist high enough to squirt birds, which were flying all over the place. _

_Tenten greeted the little birds as they fluttered around her in circles. "Ah, hello birdies!" She looked forward to meeting them on clear days such as today. They seemed to have become used to her every morning with a handful of sunflower seeds resting on the palm of her hand. Those seeds were supposedly for the birdhouse, but she always preferred letting them eat from her hand._

_Xiao Lang, who was busy tending the flowerbed, took a tiny peek at Tenten. She looked like she was having too much fun for chore time. He couldn't contain the smile that leaked out after watching her dance around as she spilled the sunflower seeds all over the ground._

_"Hey," he called from behind her, "stop dancing and get back to work, will you?" _

_Tenten stuck her tongue out at him. "Who said I couldn't have fun with chores?" She held her hand out to one of the tiny sparrows flying around her. "Do you wanna try?"_

_The corner of his lips curved into a tiny and faint, but visible smile. "I have enough fun watching you."_

_She smiled. "Ok then. It's my turn to water, right?"_

_Tenten took the watering can from the tool shed hidden in the back corner of the garden and dipped it into the fountain, filling it up to the brim. She always had a special way of watering the flowers when her turn came. Instead of pouring it over the flowers like every other person would, she threw the water up into the air, watching it fall onto the fragile petals. The falling drops would rain down on everything; including Xiao Lang and herself._

_"Tenten, don't do th-" _

_"Too late!" Tenten threw the watering can in the air, feeling the water rain down on her skin. _

_Xiao Lang shielded himself from the raining water. "At least try not to hit me…"_

_Tenten's eyes lit up. "Ah, it feels great, doesn't it?" She plopped the can into the fountain once again._

_His eyes widened. He dropped whatever he was doing and grabbed her wrist. "'I'm not planning on getting any wetter than this before practice, got that?"_

_Xiao Lang, who had been training as a ninja with his cousin Belri since they were six, had practiced everyday for at least eight hours. Tenten, who had no experience whatsoever with this exclusive ancient art, found it quite interesting to look at; almost like a dance of some sort. _

_She stuck her tongue out at him. He had always taken the fun out of their daily chores. It's been three months since she came; couldn't he lighten up even a little bit?_

_"Hmph," she sighed, "fine, I'll stop. I just finished anyway."_

_The sun was just over the horizon line as they finished up their morning chores. It was going to be a long day, just like it was everyday. _

_"Tenten, we're done here. Stop straggling behind, will you?" Xiao Lang hurriedly walked away._

_Tenten rolled her eyes. "Whatever."_

_A little bird perched itself on her shoulder. She smiled and held up her palm to its beak. The sparrow hastily pecked at the seeds resting in her hand and took off into the open sky._

_She sighed. "I better go meet him before he has a fuzzy outbreak."_

_&&Hidden Pathway&&_

_Two shuriken: one gold, one silver; clashed in midair. Xiao Lang stood in his natural stance, and Belri was in her attack mode. She charged straight ahead, then disappearing before his eyes. _

_He glanced around in a panic. Where could she have gone?_

_"Psst," Belri whispered. "Behind you!"_

_Before he could even blink, Belri kicked him at least 30 feet away as he was caught by the supporting leaves on the summer tree branches._

_"Heh," he wiped the dripping sweat off his forehead, "is that all you got?"_

_"You'd better stop for now," Belri insisted, "You'll use up your chakra at this rate."_

_"I agree with Belri onee-chan, Xiao Lang!" Tenten, who had been sitting overhead on a tree limb the whole while, called out to him._

_He nodded. "Ok then."_

_Tenten carefully climbed down the tree trunk. She lost her grip and slid down, landing with a thump. "Eeyeah…ouch…"_

_Belri snickered. "You make the weirdest sounds when you fall."_

_Xiao Lang came up to her. "What is this, the 73rd time?" He held his hand out to her as she took it to help herself up._

_"Hmm…well, this wouldn't be happening if I had the skill of a kunoichi," she sulked._

_Xiao Lang and Belri exchanged confused glances. Was she implying something?_

_Tenten placed her hands on her hips. "I want to start training too."_

_Belri smiled and jumped about excitedly. "Yeah, why not? It'll be fun with the three of us!"_

_Xiao Lang shrugged. "I bet she wouldn't be able to last two hours."_

_Tenten gave him an impish smirk. "We'll see about that."_

_"Can you make sure of it?"_

_Tenten nodded firmly, determined to prove him wrong. She stuck out her pinky to him as they linked them together._

_"It's a promise."_

_Belri continued to hop around like a dancing bunny rabbit. "Yay, let the games begin!"_

_"Shut up!" Tenten and Xiao Lang asserted in unison._

_Tenten made sure to keep her promise. Every morning before her morning chores with Xiao Lang, she would practice for an extra hour to catch up wit Xiao Lang and Belri. She didn't want to be left behind, after all._

_Xiao Lang, who had secretly been watching her train every morning, was even surprised for her determination and effort. He had always thought that girls were weaker than guys for their own reasons, but he had never seen someone try so hard._

_Tenten kicked the thick padding tied to the tree trunk. The impact of her kick vibrated in her bones and throughout her entire leg. She sank to the floor and wailed out in pain, clutching her injured leg._

_Xiao Lang inched hesitantly from the shadows like a hidden wolf in the moonlight. The full moon's incandescence shone it's mystical light onto Tenten, creating a lonely spotlight in the middle of the silent abyss of trees. He wasn't so sure if he should have acted upon what he had seen, but he had confidence. He had faith in Tenten, and that she would be able to rise above her own problems. _

_"I want to see what you can do."_

_The injured girl rose to her feet with the support of a nearby tree branch, which was low to the ground. She wasn't finished training yet. _

_"I need…one more…chance," she weakly said to herself, her stance wobbling. _

_"I…can't –" Tenten's hand slipped as she collapsed to the floor, only to be caught by swift arms. _

_Her eyes widened. "W-wait a minute –" _

_"You really have some nerve, coming out here this early." Xiao Lang pointed up to the sky. "Even the moon's still out." _

_"But I –"_

_"No more. It's dangerous to do this by yourself." Xiao Lang placed Tenten on the ground. "Can you walk?"_

_She shook her head. "I don't think so."_

_He held her in his arms once again as they headed off to the women's cabin. Tenten could tell he was struggling, because of the way he wavered from one side to the other. _

_"Um, I don't really need to be **carried**. I can hop my way back to – "_

_"I'm fine. Just promise me you won't do something so extreme." _

_Tenten frowned. "I was only trying to keep the promise we made before," she said under her breath._

_The moon had started to set by the time they had reached her room. Xiao Lang carefully placed the injured Tenten down on her loft._

_"Let me see your leg," he ordered._

_Tenten pulled away. "N-no, it's ok. I'm fine, really," she insisted. She poked her leg, trying hard not to flinch. "See? It's ok."_

_Xiao Lang kneeled down in front of her, keeping his eyes staring down at the wooden floor. "Hey, if you aren't ok, just say it." He looked up at her. "It's my duty to protect those who are higher than me."_

_Tenten gave him a confused look. "Huh? I don't follow you."_

_"Hmph," he breathed as he examined her pained leg. "I don't expect you to understand."_

_Tenten never felt so insulted. "Well," she folded her arms across her chest, "what if I could relate?"_

_"How?"_

_She smiled. "You told me to say something if there was something wrong. Shouldn't you do the same? Besides…" Tenten held out her hand to him as a signification of friendship. "I think it's time I help **you**, don't you think?"_

_Xiao Lang hastily turned down her offer. "I don't need your sympathy." He stood up and walked slowly out of her room._

_And Tenten didn't bother stopping him._

_"Hmm, that certainly went well," a voice from the back of the room echoed._

_Tenten gasped, realizing there was someone watching them. "Belri onee-chan?"_

_Belri waved her hand from underneath the covers. Apparently, she still didn't wake from her sleep. She arose from the covers of her bed sluggishly. "I overheard what happened. Don't worry about it too much."_

_Tenten refused to listen. "But…but doesn't it bother you? I mean, he always tries to act tough and everything. You know he doesn't have to." She rubbed her bruised leg, dyed black and blue._

_"It's his job, Tenten." Belri said sadly. "He has to lay down his life for others. That's the way of this clan."_

_Tenten shook her head in disbelief. "Why? It's **his** life, right? He can do what he wants with it."_

_"Not quite."_

_Belri sat upright and cloaked the thick blankets around her body, wrapping her like a mummy. "Let me tell you something."_

_Tenten was alert. "Is there something wrong with him?"_

_Belri looked depressed. "I think it's the village that's wrong," she said forlornly._

_"This village," she started to say, " Has its own way of dealing with things."_

_She plopped back down on her pillow. "Do you believe in predetermined destiny?"_

_Tenten was silent, thinking to herself for a moment. She raised her head. "No, I don't."_

_Belri stared at the ceiling. "You could say that the destiny he follows, is like being a sparrow bound to its cage."_

_"Birds are supposed to fly freely, right?" Tenten questioned._

_Belri nodded. "You could say that he's like that sparrow, yearning to break free."_

_"He wants to break free from his destiny."_

_Belri shrugged. "From what I've seen, he's already given up." She walked over to Tenten's bed and took her hand into her own. "Will you help him regain the will?"_

_Tenten was shocked. She had no idea Xiao Lang went through his life like a caged bird. "For his sake," she looked down towards the floor, "I'll help him see what it means to live again."_

_Belri smiled, her eyes filled with joyful tears. "Now," she said, "lemme take a look at your leg. Where did you go out so early?"_

_Tenten fidgeted. "Well, you see…"_

_**&&The Next Morning&&**_

_Tenten woke up extra early, as she did the previous day. Xiao Lang made her promise him not to train alone, but he also didn't understand the position she was in. _

_The full moon was still out as it shone like a pearl on the beach shore at twilight. It was low in the star filled sky, implying that the morning would arrive shortly._

_Tenten snuck out of the cabin herself and dashed hastily into the labyrinth of trees. She constantly looked back to see if anyone was tracking her down. Her breathing rate increased as she huffed and puffed misty vapor. _

_Suddenly, the irritating sound of screeching metal rang through the empty forest. Tenten became alert, looking around for where the sound was being emitted. _

_Tenten tried her best to stay low and not attract any attention. She hid behind shrubs and fallen leaves to hear mumbling from a distance. A whole troop of hidden ninjas lined up, forming arrays of black in the pure moonlight. Their faces were masked and only their eyes glowed a sinister yellow. _

_One ninja, who appeared to be the leader, wore a different uniform; like those of a samurai. He seemed to have been discussing matters with one of his underlings. _

_"Did you find the descendants from heaven?" Their samurai leader asked, keeping his voice to the minimum low. _

_The hidden ninja nodded his head. "Both are doing fine, sir."_

_"That's good," he replied. "If anything were to happen to them, our five year plan would have failed. We've gotten so far. Let's go, men. Disperse!"_

_"You heard the boss! Don't lose sight of them!"_

_The array of ninja's disappeared in a flash as they followed their leader's orders._

_Tenten held her breath. She may have witnessed something she shouldn't have. Frantically, she glanced around for any other hidden ninja. Once the coast was clear, she canceled her secret training time and ran as fast as she could back to the cabin. She wished she hadn't witnessed that event. _

_Once she reached her room, she flopped down on her bed and buried herself underneath the covers. As much as she wanted to fall asleep again, some heavy snoring in the opposite corner of the room kept interrupting her. Was Belri always this loud?_

_The sun was barely over the horizon. It was time to meet Xiao Lang in the garden._

_"I should go before he comes here and smacks me with that annoying pillow," Tenten said in her mind._

_**&&The Garden&&**_

_The sparrows danced around the garden as they did every morning. The moon had set, and all that was left in the sky was the dawn's light treading upon the village. Some of the stars had already faded away into the overpowering light._

_Once Tenten reached the garden, she was surprised to find it empty, except for the birds, of course. She expected Xiao Lang to have arrived earlier than she._

_Tenten let out a sigh of relief. "At least I won't have to tell him what happened," she thought to herself._

_She walked over to the tool shed hidden under vines and behind flowers and reached for the birdseed sack. It was her permanent job as part of her morning chores to feed the sparrows that didn't hesitate to visit their village every day._

_Gazing above at the free flying birds, Tenten began to wonder of the words Belri spoke about Xiao Lang the other day. "He's living his life as a caged bird," she thought out loud. "How he is any different than the flying sparrows?"_

_The tiny sparrow perched on her shoulder, as it did the previous day. Tenten stroked its head and held her palm full of seeds up to its beak. It pecked hastily at her open palm, and flew away in an instant. It floated high into the sky with the others. Tenten sadly gazed at the flying sparrows. "Why couldn't we have been born with wings?_

_"It's because we don't need wings to fly."_

_Xiao Lang leaned against the garden's entrance gate; his arms crossed along his chest. "If you really want to fly..."_

_He leapt in the air and gently landed on top of the spurting fountain water placed in the center of the garden._

_Tenten stared in awe. "H-How-"_

_"If you really want to fly... you need to find your reasons, and turn them into wings."_

_Xiao Lang hopped back down to the ground and walked up to Tenten, bowing down before her. "I'm sorry for being late."_

_Tenten hesitated for a brief moment before shaking her head. "N-no, it's ok. I do it all the time!"_

_"That isn't something to be proud of."_

_She sulked. "I'm not proud of it, I'm just saying…"_

_Xiao Lang picked up the water can that was left near the flowers the other day and dipped it into the fountain._

_Tenten remembered Belri's words. She suddenly became worried of Xiao Lang and wanted to help him in any way she could. He had been there for her since they first met. But…how do you help someone who isn't willing to give you a chance to try?_

_She was determined to get through to him. "H-hey, Xiao Lang?" Tenten immediately turned her gaze towards the floor. "Um…can I ask you something?"_

_"Hn," was his response. She couldn't even make out what it had meant._

_"I-I want to know more about you and the village," Tenten blurted out. She suddenly clasped her mouth shut with her hands. Could he have taken it the wrong way?_

_Xiao Lang let out a tiny smile, hardly visible. He found it weird how she always thought of the million possibilities that could go wrong. "Did Belri tell you yet?"_

_Tenten sadly shook her head. "You…must be suffering, by the way you talk."_

_Xiao Lang was caught of guard, but tried hard not to show it. "Depends on how you define the word."_

_The wind grew stronger by the minute as it tossed around everything in its path, including the birds. Flower petals drifted past them like how time slips like sand._

_Xiao Lang spoke up. "I'm not all I seem. I may seem strong to you, but to those higher than me, I'm nothing more than a servant."_

_He turned to Tenten. "Do you know who I really am?"_

_Tenten shook her head._

_"Then don't bother worrying."_

_She shook her head in dismay. How could he be so calm when she was so serious?_

_"Hmph, what a jerk."_

_**&&A Few Hours Later&&**_

_Tenten couldn't get Xiao Lang's words out of her head. Today, she passed their offer to train with them, which completely took them off guard._

_"Huh? You sure?" Belri spoke with concern._

_Xiao Lang folded his arms across his chest. "Does it have to do with me?"_

_Tenten didn't respond at first. She didn't want to seem too nosey. "I-it's nothing, really."_

_Belri shrugged. "It's up to you. Come down if you change your mind, k?"_

_Tenten nodded absentmindedly. "Sure."_

_So many thoughts and questions raced through her mind. Who was Xiao Lang and what are the secrets behind the village? Something here didn't seem right. Maybe all of this was connected to the hidden ninja she spotted earlier this morning._

_Xiao Lang stood in his defensive stance, waiting for Belri, who charged like an anger bull straight towards him. Xiao Lang closed his eyes and concentrated all of his energy towards his eyes. Before he could make a move, Belri pounced on him, pinning him to the dirt ground._

_He wiped the sweat dripping from his face. "I didn't make it in time." His face seemed troubled._

_Belri helped him off the ground and gave him a reassuring smile. "Eh, don't worry about it. I know nothing about your limits, but maybe we can work on something else for today. What do you say?"_

_Xiao Lang simply nodded. _

_Tenten slid from the treetop to solid ground. "Hey, Xiao Lang? Can I practice with you now?"_

_Xiao Lang looked up at Tenten. "Hnn," he mumbled._

_Tenten raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_Belri clapped her hands together. "Ok, kiddies, let's getting rolling!"_

_"You aren't much older than us, Belri onee-chan," Tenten called back._

_The jumping kunoichi laughed. "I'm at least 3 years older than you, Tenten. Didn't you ever learn to respect your elders?"_

_Tenten stared at the floor and shuffled her feet._

_"Uh, I didn't mean it like that, Tenten,'" Belri stuttered. "Let's just forget it, ok?"_

_Xiao Lang waited with great impatience. "You ready?"_

_Belri and Tenten saluted, mocking his impatience. "Yes, sir!"_

_Xiao Lang rolled his eyes. "You two have so much in common."_

_Tenten chuckled. "So then, what are we learning today?"_

_Belri skipped behind a nearby tree and held out what looked like a scarecrow. She showed great pride in…whatever it was. "Ta da! Today, we're going sharpen are accuracy." She pinned it to the center of the tree. "It's like playing a game of darts. Just try to aim correctly and hit the bull's eye, got that?"_

_Both sternly nodded, concentrating on their goal._

_"Hmm…Xiao Lang, you go first," Belri insisted. _

_"Hnn." Xiao Lang stepped forward with a silver shuriken in his hand. He drew it back, aiming precisely and focusing only on his task. He grunted as the he thrust the weapon forward. It pinned itself at the very edge of the target._

_Belri clapped her hands and jumped about. "Yay! Good work, Xiao Lang!" She eyed Tenten. "It's your turn now!"_

_Tenten took the silver shuriken from the target and fiddled with it in her hands. Mimicking Xiao Lang's moves, she drew it back, snapping her wrist forwards. The flying weapon pierced through the target, right in the eye. _

_Tenten couldn't contain her smile. "Oh wow! I did it!"_

_Belri's jaw fell open. "W-wait a minute, how did you do that?"_

_Xiao Lang shrugged. "Who would have thought?"_

_Tenten, instead of sticking her tongue out at him, gave him an even bigger smile. "Aren't you proud of me?"_

_Xiao Lang was at a lost for words, but didn't show it. "Well, yeah…"_

_She jumped about with following behind her. They looked like a couple of bouncing bunny idiots._

_"They sure seem excited," he said to himself._

_The hours passed like minutes as the sun lowered in the sky. Both Xiao Lang and Tenten were worn out from their new training exercises and plopped down on the grass. _

_"Well, looks like we're done for today!" Belri merrily called out to the both of them. She unpinned the targets from the trees. "Xiao Lang, go home for today. Tenten should have a chance to stay after, m'kay?"_

_Tenten sat up. "Oh, sure…"_

_"Hnn." Xiao Lang got to his feet and walked back to the village._

_Tenten helped unpin the rest of the targets. "Is there anything else you need?"_

_Belri shook her head. "Nope, that's it." She walked over to her. "Lemme give you something."_

_Tenten tilted her head in confusion. "Huh? What is it?"_

_"Close your eyes, and open your hands."_

_Tenten did so. She felt something cushy being placed in her bare hands. "Can I open my eyes now?"_

_Belri nodded, figuring there wasn't any need for words._

_The younger kunoichi opened her eyes, revealing a fuzzy stuffed kitty resting in her arms. She squealed in exhilaration and hugged it close to her. "Onee, thank you!"_

_"Nah, it's nothing." She winked. "Think of it as a little something for being our friend. From Xiao Lang's heart and mine to yours."_

_"This is from Xiao Lang too?" She looked down at the stuffed kitten. "I-I don't know what to say…"_

_"Heh, don't worry about it!" Belri took out a stuffed cat of her own. "See? I have one too! They're twins! This one is Kagura."_

_"Then…this one will be," Tenten raised it up in the air. "Kioku. The cat's name is Kioku."_

_Belri hugged Kagura. "Oooh, really? That's a nice name. Doesn't that represent 'memory' in our language?"_

_She nodded. "Yup, it'll resemble the memories the three of us share." She turned her gaze toward the setting sun. "This way, I'll be able to remember all the good time, even when I have to leave."_

_Belri chuckled. "That won't be for awhile." She nodded. "C'mon, let's go back."_

_**&&The Next Morning&&**_

_A fluffy disturbance smacked the Tenten's back. "You're late again."_

_Tenten sat up and rubbed her drowsy eyes. "Ugh…" _

_She tried to change her clothes as quickly as possible. Her body just wouldn't let her. _

_Once she was finished, Tenten grabbed Kioku and ran out the door, forgetting to tell Belri she was leaving for her morning chores._

_Tenten raced herself to the garden, as she did every morning. It was something new she tried out, to train herself every moment she could find possible. _

_From a distance, she could see Xiao Lang standing in front of the entrance, but when she looked closer, there were at least three other people surrounding him. They all wore the same uniform; similar to those of the hidden ninja she spotted the other day._

_She gasped. "I-It's the hidden ninja!"_

_Now wasn't the time to race herself. She was put up against time: one of the most difficult opponent to predict. Would she be able to defeat it?_

_One of the ninja's grabbed him by the collar and held him up against the concrete wall. He leaned up close enough to his face, that they could feel each other's breath creeping along their necks. "Tell me the truth, punk!" _

_Xiao Lang tried to remain calm, but there were hints of fear flashing in his eyes. He stayed quiet in an effort not to worsen the problem._

_Tenten crept up behind them, waiting for the perfect time to pounce and catch them all off guard. _

_Another ninja leaned in closer to his ear, and whispered, "If you don't tell us your REAL name, then –"_

_Tenten leapt from the shadows like a determined wildcat and tried to free Xiao Lang from the grasps of the three ninjas._

_One of the ninja's caught her by the neck and held her up like a prize-winning fish. "Tell us your name, or she goes to hell," he threatened, holding a knife up to her throat._

_Tenten squirmed to be set free, but couldn't even reach the ground. She felt her mind slowly slip away as her sight became hazy. Air wasn't getting through to her, and she was being suffocated._

_"Why do you interfere with us, little girl? This doesn't concern you." The ninja holding her neck said._

_Tenten knew her reasons, and she wasn't about to abandon them. "I'm here because I've found my reasons to fly. I need it, so I can gain wings."_

_He simply laughed at her morals. "Hmph, you're no better than a caged bird, hurting yourself from the inside out."_

_Xiao Lang couldn't take it anymore. He had to do something, or else the people he cared for would be doomed. "Let her go," he asserted. "I'll tell you my name."_

_"Spit it out, boy!" One of them said as Tenten fell to the ground gasping for air._

_"Neji. My name is Hyuuga Neji."_

* * *

**Ending Note: Woot! Xiao Lang is finally revealed as Neji! Sorry for the tiny cliffhanger, but everything will be unveiled by the next two chapters, hopefully. And now...the preview of the next chapter!**

**_Hikari no Naka E_**

_A firm hand swiftly clasped Tenten and brought her into the shadows of the setting sun. Struggling to be set free, she kicked and squirmed in vain. If only she hadn't strayed from Neji and Belri._

_A sinister voice cooed. "If you want to be free from the shadows, I can help you."_

_Tenten ignored his words and continued to struggle. Her muffled words would be useless in calling for help._

_"Don't you want to know who you are? Or where you come from? I can help you."_

_Her eyes widened as she halted her rampage. Since entering the village, in hardly ever occured to her about her origin and her past. Why was it coming up now?_

_"You've been suffering, haven't you? Knowing that there really is no place where you belong." He pointed to the two arguing traninees from the trees. "They aren't who you think. Keeping secrets from you is all they do. The village doesn't really want you here, though they say they don't mind. It's such a pity."_

_Tenten never thought of it that way. Would the village really do that? Even after the months they had spent together? And then there's Belri. She wasn't originally part of this village to begin with! Why would they picking on her? Questions continued to swim in a whirlpool in Tenten's mind._

_The man came closer to her ear. "Why stay in the dark? I'll bring you to the light. Your answers lie there, not here."_

_He let her go and as soon as he did, Tenten jolted straight for her friends, screaming her at the top of her lungs. She was within 2 feet of their space before feeling a sharp pain in her leg. Her screaming died down as she slowly sank to the floor. The forest became a blur of green and the sky was no longer visible. Her eyes became heavy as she fell into a deep sleep, not to be awaken for hours to come._


	4. Hikari no Naka E

_**Into The Light**  
Tenshi no Hoshi_

* * *

"_Out of the darkness and into the light  
Together, we pray for the end of this eternal night."

* * *

_

_The following days didn't pass so quickly for neither Tenten nor Neji. Traumatic memories of the threatening hidden ninja happened in what seemed to be a blink of an eye. Those people were up to something and it was up to the both of them to find out what they were scheming. _

"_Hey, stay sharp! Don't lag behind." Belri threw a swift punch to Tenten's face._

_Tenten, who had not been paying close enough attention, took the damage, almost knocking her out. She felt crimson blood ooze out of the corner of her mouth._

_Belri rushed over to he aid. "Uaah! Are you ok? You weren't supposed to take the blow, you know."_

_Neji, who in the meantime say above the fight, jumped down to assist. "You should have gone easier on her. She isn't too quick yet."_

_Tenten sat up, holding her fist up to his neck. "I **will **become stronger. I'll beat you until you beg for mercy."_

"_Hmph, you're all talk. If you really wanted to prove it, you would have challenged me right not."_

"_I'm in the best condition."_

_He snorted. "Heh, whatever. It's been set as your destiny already, why bother defying it?"_

_Belri cut into their heated conversation. "W-well, why don't we just let Tenten rest for awhile?" She grabbed him by the arm and yanked him behind the shadows of the trees. "What's wrong with Tenten? She's been spaced out for the past couple of days. She hasn't been talking much either." She tightened her grip. "What do you know?"_

_Neji kept a stern face on. Everyone seemed to be suspicious of him lately. "What I know stays between me and Tenten. It doesn't concern you."_

_Belri was shocked. "You would choose her over your own cousin?"_

"_She's the same as you. You really aren't my cousin, like how she isn't really my friend."_

"_You're a terrible liar, you know that?" Belri retorted. "So what if I'm not your cousin? She's our friend, and you know that. Why are you trying to deny it?"_

_Neji crossed his arms. "She may look at me as a friend, but I don't look at her the same way."_

"_Well, I wouldn't have said that aloud," Belri shot a glance over her shoulder "If you keep raising your voice, others might here."_

_Tenten, who had been listening through the whole conversation, covered her mouth with her hands. Had they heard her sneaking up to them?_

_He had regretted his words. "Know your place, Tenten." Neji whispered loud enough for her to hear._

_She summoned all her energy to dash away from the scene. Distraught by his hurtful words, she quietly slipped away into the shadows. _

_From behind, a firm hand swiftly clasped Tenten and brought her into the shadows of the setting sun. Struggling to be set free, she kicked and squirmed in vain. If only she hadn't strayed from Neji and Belri._

_A sinister voice cooed. "If you want to be free from the shadows, I can help you."_

_Tenten ignored his words and continued to struggle. Her muffled words would be useless in calling for help._

_"Don't you want to know who you are? Or where you come from? I can help you."_

_Her eyes widened as she halted her rampage. Since entering the village, in hardly ever occured to her about her origin and her past. Why was it coming up now?_

_"You've been suffering, haven't you? Knowing that there really is no place where you belong." He pointed to the two arguing traninees from the trees. "They aren't who you think. Keeping secrets from you is all they do. The village doesn't really want you here, though they say they don't mind. It's such a pity."_

_Tenten never thought of it that way. Would the village really do that? Even after the months they had spent together? And then there was Belri. She wasn't originally part of this village to begin with! Why would they picking on her? Questions continued to swim in a whirlpool in Tenten's mind._

_The man came closer to her ear. "Why stay in the dark? I'll bring you to the light. Your answers lie there, not here."_

_As soon as he loosened his grip, Tenten jolted straight for her friends, screaming her at the top of her lungs. She was within 2 feet of their space before feeling a sharp pain in her leg. Her screaming died down as she slowly sank to the floor. The forest became a blur of green and the sky was no longer visible. What was that throbbing pain?_

_Both Neji and Belri came to her aid. "H-hey, what's wrong?"_

"_Don't lay a finger on her."_

_Emerging from the shadows, a husky man stepped forward. A scar ran down his face from his eye to the corner of his lip. The forehead protector tightly fastened around his head had a unique symbol inscribed on it. Neji could just about make out the wings and the eye of the symbol, appearing to be a rising phoenix. The same symbol flashed before his eyes. _

_It was the same symbol he saw from the hidden ninja._

_Belri hastily drew out a kunai and held it up in front of her in a defensive position. "Xiao Lang," she whispered, not looking over her shoulder. "Don't tell the elders of this. Get as far away from here as possible. Even it if it means crossing the border, got that?"_

_Neji nodded. He understood what he had to do. He faced the opposite direction. "You better make sure nothing happens the either of you." With that said, he pushed himself to race against the wind. It was a formidable match for someone such as himself. He knew without a doubt that their race would mean nothing, but it was a way out of his cage. It was a way for him to defy fate, something he had always wanted to do. Now, he finally had his chance. He would make sure to use it wisely._

_Belri smirked. "You chose the wrong person to mess with," she growled, a tint of vengeance in her voice. "I don't know what you want from us," she retrieved a scroll from her weapon pouch resting at her hip, "but this is as far as you go."_

_His furrowed brows shot back a stern glare. "Now, is this the way you talk to your elders after all we've done for you?"_

_She refused to waver. "You know nothing about me." _

"_You know nothing about yourself."_

"_You have no right to force us to do anything related to your plans."_

_Glowing chakra swirled in the palm of his hand. "Your time here is up. So is your friend here." The chakra ball grew larger by the second. "Both of you know too much. We're sending you back to your home."_

_Her eyes widened. He couldn't be referring to the Kiokukagure, right? A village that no one thought existed could finally be proven as a real place, not just a forged memory. She looked back down at Tenten, who was still in a peaceful slumber. Why hadn't she known? Both of them are from the same village. Yet, they knew nothing of their home, or each other. _

_There was a missing link in this chain. Belri knew that nothing would make sense without it. But the task was to find that piece to tie together the final answer. Who held that piece?_

"_Step away from Tian, and you will be taken unharmed." The man cooed, his unscarred eye narrowing in on the kunoichi. _

"_Belri onee-chan," a weak voice whimpered from behind._

"_Stay down, Tenten. You remember the signal. Go after him."_

_She nodded, tears forming in her scared eyes. Tenten was caught of guard by all of this. What was going on?_

_Belri hesitated, slowly lowering her weapon. If she succeeded in her plan, perhaps they had hope in finding out who they really were and where they came from. After all, it was her only goal as a kunoichi. _

"_I'll…come with you." Would she regret this later on? "It's a risk I'm willing to take."_

_A triumphant smile came across his face. "Good girl. Don't worry though, we won't do any harm either of you. After all," He softly tossed what looked like a smoke bomb in the middle of their field, exploding into a haze of orange mist._

"_RUN!" Belri tossed her scroll to the sitting girl._

_Tenten stumbled to her feet and scurried away like a frightened animal. She had to keep up with Neji._

_Belri covered both nose and mouth. "Dammit…sleeping powder?" She sank to the ground, feeling the effects of the dust. "Y-you liar…"_

_As the smoke cleared, the man stepped over the sleeping body. "We need you, Xia. After all, both of you hold the key to unlocking the past. Bring us to a secure future."_

_**&&The Village&&**_

_Tenten felt as if she had been running for at least half an hour. Their practice meet was held far from the village. At times like these, she wished they could have been closer._

_The main house could be spotted from the distance. Perhaps Neji had stopped by or took shelter there. There was only one way to know now._

"_Tenten! Over here!" _

_The voice belonged to Neji. Tenten was thankful for him at this time. She waved her hands in the air, jumping up and down (on her unhurt leg) to signify that he received his message. She charged straight towards him in the pursuit of a friend. _

_But then again, he didn't feel the same way, did he?_

"_Neji!" They made contact, Tenten's arms tightly embracing his waist._

_He jumped back in response. Never during their time together had he seen her so upset or scared. Not knowing what to do from there, he pushed her away, knocking her to the floor. "Don't ever…use that name out loud, understand?" _

_She rubbed her bruised back. "No, I don't." She replied bluntly. "I never understand anything you say. Everything is always a secret with you and Belri onee-chan."_

_Neji's expression hardened. "We have to discuss this later. Where's Belri?"_

_She sulked. "That man took her away."_

"_Dammit, that's not good! We have to get her!" He looked down at her. "Listen, I'll explain everything to you once we get back, ok?" A lending hand offered her help. "Trust me."_

_Tenten felt a sense of hypocrisy among his words. They weren't friends, yet he was asking him to trust. "Xiao Lang," she solemnly started to say, "I trust you. But in return," she took his hand. "I want you to be my friend."_

_A faint smile leaked out from the corner of his lip. "I'm glad to hear that."_

_**&&Nightfall&&**_

_It had already been five hours since Belri's kidnapping and Neji had yet to appear at their bedroom doorstep. The crescent moon had already started to rise with the stars in the night sky on that cool evening. Fall had started approaching, with all of the traces of red, orange and yellow dying the village's surroundings. It was the perfect evening to finally have a heart to heart talk._

_Tenten paced back and forth in the hollow area of the room Belri and she shared. Around that time, both of them would usually be getting ready for bed, and on occasion, talk about their day. That day, however, there was no one to talk to, and for Tenten, it felt incredibly awkward and lonely. _

_Squeaking resonated from the rusted door. She spun around to meet Neji's eyes, tired from their seemingly endless day. He closed the door behind him without a sound, and then there was utter silence. _

_Tenten broke the silence. "A-are you ok? You don't look to well-"_

"_I'm fine," he abruptly replied, walking forward and taking a seat on his "cousin's" bed. "If anyone should be unwell, it should be you."_

_Tenten sat down on the floor facing his direction in front of the bed. "As much as I don't know what's going on, I'm still being kept in the dark. Who wouldn't get tired of it?"_

"_I'm sorry. This must be fate's cruel ways. It's our fault for allowing the both of you in."_

_Tenten looked away from him as much as she could. Her eyes strayed to Kagura and Kioku, sitting next to each other innocently. They had both become worn out and dirtied from their rowdy playing, but they held many memories in the short amount of time they've spent together._

_Neji caught her staring at the stuffed kittens. "Do you know what these are used for?" He held Kagura in his arms. "These are devices used for extracting memories. Users need specific requirements for handling them, I heard."_

_She stared at him in disbelief, her eyebrow lowering. "How do you know?"_

"_Belri." His reply was short and simple. "The reason why both of you posses these so called plush toys is so the Zyranin could eventually harness that supremacy. You two are the only known people who could possibly utilize it."_

_Tenten didn't like where their conversation was going. "Does that mean…that the man from earlier…and the hidden ninja are all…connected?"_

"_Exactly."_

_She thought to herself in silence. Everything was coming together now. _

"_They've been trying to get your hands on you first came to this village. Our country made an agreement with the country of lightning. They would protect us from other countries searching for the secret of our bloodline limit, the Byakugan. In return, we would carry out experiments for them." He avoided her gazing eyes. "The Angel Experiment. Both of you are said to have divine blood flowing through you."_

_Another moment of silence followed. "Well," Tenten spoke, "First of all, what's a Byakugan?"_

"_Our clan," He started, "holds the power to see the chakra circulatory system in one's body. In addition, the Byakugan gives the user a 360 vision."_

_She nodded, satisfied with his answer. "And what's all this about the Angel Experiment?"_

_Neji knew that his words must have been a burden on Tenten. Was it really worth telling her all this? Her past would tie with her present, affecting her future. If she refused to accept who she was, he could be placing his entire clan in peril._

"_The experiment was sought out to bring heavenly descendants to our planet. They wanted to use people like you to control memories of others."_

_Tenten, instead of being distraught was curious. "What good would that do?"_

_Neji couldn't believe how many questions she was asking, "Well," he calmly replied, "If you use those stuffed animals over there to capture memories, then enemies could use it to gain hidden information. Do you get it?"_

_She nodded, although still suspicious of how much information everyone hid from her. "I understand. But then why did you guys have to hide it?"_

"_You were being deprived of your right as a human. Everyone had treated the both of you as lower animals. In my position…I had to do the same. I'm sorry."_

"_Your position…what is it exactly?"_

_The corner of his lip tugged upward. She could tell he wasn't enjoying this. "I'm a member of the branch family. That's who I am. Nothing more, nothing less."_

_Tenten started growing impatient, not realizing the same with Neji. "Hmph, if you say so."_

"_You done with the questions?"_

"_No, not yet." There was one last question she needed to ask. "Xiao Lang, who am I exactly? If they were searching for Belri and I, then that means we must have something that other people don't. What is it exactly?"_

_He shrugged. "I can't answer that for you. You gotta find that for yourself. I just know that you might have the potential for memory extracting."_

_He got up from the bed. "Tomorrow, we set out for Belri. I've informed my uncle about this, and have located where she might have been held."_

_Tenten nodded. "Gotcha. I'll be ready by sunrise."_

_Neji started for the door. Tenten didn't know what else to say, but she knew what she had to do. "H-hey, Neji!"_

_He halted, giving her a deadly glare. "I told you not to-" _

"_I just wanted to say that I wanna get to know more about you." She managed to say without being interrupted. "If we're friends, I want you to trust me, like how I trust you. If we're friends, I want you to know that you can count on me for anything." She gave him a quirky smile, seeing that she placed herself into an awkward position very much unlike her. "I won't let you down."_

"_Ok. That's good to know." With that said, he calmly left the room._

_The clicking sound of the shutting door gave relief to Tenten. "Phew, glad that's over," she said to herself as she plopped down on her bed with Kioku in her arms. She replayed his last phrase in her head. Those words made her cheeks blush vigorously. She had even felt it burn. The kunoichi raised her toy in the air. "Kioku…so it seems you're nothing more than a tool for me, as I am nothing more than a tool for a warring country."_

_The young girl simply closed her eyes and hoped to drift away from her predicaments. When she would awake, she would complete her journey out of the elusive shadows, and begin a new one into the lucid light. There, perhaps she would find all of her answers._

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**Ending Note: Woot, I'm happy with this chapter, despite the length. Thank you for all those people who have stayed in tune and have bothered to review this story. I promise to update sooner! No preview this time, though. You'll just have to wait and see!**


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